The South Korean government has promised to build and donate the construction of solar mini-grids to Nigeria.
The project estimated at $12.4 million is a grant from the government of South Korea to Nigeria, not a loan said by Kim Young Choe, ambassador of South Korea to Nigeria during an interactive session with the Senate committee on power on Thursday, December 16, 2021.
The Senate committee chaired by Gabriel Suswam had called for the meeting to clarify certain issues regarding the stand-aline mini-grid project to be sponsored and donated to Nigeria by the South Korean government.
In response, the ambassador clarified that the nuclear energy options currently used in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are based on South Korea’s model and powered by South Korean companies.
He said that Nigeria should also benefit from the same technology.
According to him, the solar mini-grid project valued at $12.4 million is a grant from his country to Nigeria and not a loan.
The diplomat also confirmed that all the four mini-grids would be sited in Abuja with the construction and sustenance of the project to be overseen by South Korean contractors.
While the committee accepted the donation, the legislators illustrated a little uneasiness about the conclusion of the South Korean government to have all the grids sited in Abuja.
The Senate committee chairman persuaded the South Korean government to allow for a spread that would leave Abuja with one grid and at least two in each of the six geopolitical zones.
Also speaking, Salihijo Ahmad, chief executive officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), in his presentation, supported the senate committee’s suggestion that the grids should be spread across the country.
He also expressed interest in the sustainability of the project and the possibility of having Nigerian companies work on it.
In responding, Choe said the demand by the committee was a tough one, but he would forward the recommendation to his government in Seoul.
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